Before 2004, the Institute of Medicine had no set recommendations for potassium intake in children or adults. However, during 2004, the Institute set definitive guidelines for potassium intake for Americans older than age 1. If you are concerned about your potassium intake, understanding how much potassium you need, and which foods contain potassium, will help you meet your nutritional requirement.
Function
The Institute of Medicine report on "Dietary Reference Intakes for Electrolytes and Water" indicates that American women who are between the ages of 31 and 50 only get half of their needed potassium, and men of the same age get slightly more than half their requirement. Potassium functions to help maintain a healthy blood pressure, keep the right balance of fluids and minerals and assists your muscles with daily functions. If you do not have adequate potassium levels in your blood, you may feel weak, have irregular heart rhythms or experience decreased mental acuity.
Children
Children between the ages of 1 and 3 years old require 3,500 mg of potassium each day. As the child moves from the toddler years to between 4 and 8 years old, his potassium requirement increases to 3,800 mg per day. The requirements for a child's potassium intake move from 3,800 mg per day to 4,500 per day once he reaches age 9. The 4,500 mg per day requirement stays in place until his 19th birthday.
Teens and Adults
Unlike some other nutrient requirements that change depending on gender and age, the body's requirements for potassium peaks at age 19 and stays consistent for the rest of your life. Both men and women from age 19 forward need 4,700 mg of potassium per day. Because your body is unable to make or store the potassium you need, you must consume potassium-rich foods or take a multivitamin including potassium every day.
Foods High in Potassium
Dairy products, starchy vegetables, nuts and many fruits give you substantial amounts of potassium. Canned apricots contain about 400 mg of potassium, or almost 10 percent of your daily requirement, while 1 cup of artichokes has 595 mg. A banana has 422 mg, 1 cup of navy beans has 708 mg and a cup of cabbage has about 170 mg. Skim milk contains 382 mg a cup, and a single tablespoon of blackstrap molasses gives you 498 mg. A cooked potato has about 515 mg of potassium, and one medium plantain gives you 893 mg. Filberts or hazelnuts have about 193 mg of potassium in 1 oz., and the same amount of almonds has 206 mg.
References
- National Dairy Council: Institute of Medicine Sets First-Ever DRI for Potassium
- Institute of Medicine: Dietary Reference Intakes for Electrolytes and Water
- Institute of Medicine: Dietary Reference Intakes: Water, Potassium, Sodium, Chloride, and Sulfate
- Linus Pauling Institute; Potassium; Jane Higdon, et al.; December 2010
- USDA National Nutrient Database for Standard Reference, Release 17: Potassium
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